Paper trimmer



PAPER TRIMHER Filed sept. 29, 195o Z Sheets`sheet l l J um 8 l6L? -9CHARLES, IRIDGEZ Y @@Qmw Y Jaim@ afs Dec. 15, 1931. C. T. RlDGELY1,836,396

PAPER TRIMMER Filed Sept. 29, 1930- 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 um Il 25 l2 k44 JMWCHARLES TRIDGELEg "y www Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE i CHARLES T. RIDGELY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 RIDGELY AN D DUGDALE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, A PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED 02E"CHARLES T.

RIDGELY ANI) W. H.DUGD.A.LE

PAPER "TRIMMER l .Application 'filed September 29, `1930. Serial No.484,981.

It is particularly the object of vthis inven-A tion to provide, inconnection Withfa straight edge, a gauge member adapted to be movedalong the straight edge for the purpose of cutting paper underneath thestraight ledge and `alongone edge thereof.

It is a further object of Lthis invention to provide, in connection witha gauge or traveling member, a pivotally supported cutter case carryinga rotating cutter, and `means to vlimit the movement of the 4cutterblade so that Iit is always in position for operation.

It is a lfurtherobject of this invention to provide, in connection withatrimmerof this kind, means for removing from ,a rotating blade anypaste 'or other foreign matter that may be gathered thereon.

It is also an object of thisinvention .to provide, in connection with agauge member adapted f to move along one edge of the straight edge ortrack, `means to cause the gauge member to stop in case any obstruction,such as a nail, screwor taclnlnay project from the cutting edge of. themembers Vsupporting the gauge members. 'By this means the cutter isprotected and prevented from coming in contact lwith an obstructingobject. i

Another object of this inventionzis lto pro-n vide., in connection witha gauge Vmembendepressions therein forming'seats to be-engaged by athumb and linger of the-.operators hands for pressing the cutterAagainst the paper'to betrimmed. Y V X l A It isalso anobject of this.invention to pro vide, inconnection with the gauge member, a hub inwhich the spindle of the rotating blade is mounted, 'the hubV not onlyacting to support the rotating of the :cutter but also serving as alinger grip by which the gauge maybe elevated when it .is desiredtoreposition the trimmer. v

The' case and gauge being; pivoted at the heel, provides the necessaryleverage to force the cutting blade through the material :being cut withno possible chance of raising for pivoting the straightedge when eXtreme4.pressure is put on the trimmer. The rests are :so placed on the casethat when operating the trimmer the cutting blade is Straddled lby thumband fingers, thus giving direct Adown pressure on the case that operatesthe blade,

which means no energy is wasted and every ounce of pressure is accountedfor.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatulooking in the direction of the 'cutting side of the straight edge.

' Figure 2 is a top plan View of the apparatus as shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a side elevation ofthe apparatusand a section throughthe-straight edge, showing the manner in which v.the .apparatus issupported on the straight edge. In 4'this v-iew the cutter blade is outof cutting position'.

Figure Il is a view-similar to Figure -3 but with `the `cutting blade inlowered or `cutting position.Y

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and Zibut with thelblade-carrying armin its extreme elevated position.

Figure -6 isa side elevation of the cutter case removed from the gaugemember.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 fof Figure V1. l

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8 ror Figure 5.

VFigure 9 is a section on the lline 9 9 of Figure '6.

Figure l() is a section von thefl-ine 10-10 of Figure 4.

Figure 1l is a view showing thescraper blade for cleaning the cutterblade.

This Y apparatus is; composed `or essentially four parts, a` straightedge, which affords a traclrway upon which Ithere is mounted a gaugemember. VOn the gauge 'member there is pivotally mounted a cutter Ycasewhich carries a rotating blade. l/Vhen this` apparatus is in place thestraight edge 1,which may be of any desired orconvenient length, isplaced along the paper with `the edge abutting the line along which thepaper is to be trimmed or cut. On this straig it edge is a groove 2which is adjacent one edge thereof. Extending up the edge of thestraight edge, adjacent the groove and bent over to partly cover thegroove, is a straight edge track 8 of some suitable metal, such brass orany other light metal.

Upon this trackway there is located, for longitudinal movement thereon,a gauge member or traveling member 4, which has on one side thereofguides 5 to properly locate the traveling member with regard to thestraight edge. Extending from 'the other side of the gauge member fromthe guides and at substantially a right angle thereto is a front bar 6,which has on the outer edge thereof a liange plate 7 held by means ofscrews 8. This flange member first extends downwardly and then towardthe guide members beneath the tra-ck 3 for the purpose of holding theapparatus on the track. For the purpose of'permitting an automaticadjustment of the plate to allow for slight variations in the wear ofthe track by the flange plate 7 and the front bar 6, split springwashers 9 are provided. These washers may be of different thicknesses.

Extending from the rear of the gauge member is a` second bar 10, whichhas attached to the lower edge thereof a flange 11. This flange is bentdown and beneath the track part of the straight edge, andassists inholding the apparatus in position on the track. By means of these twoflanges and the two guides the apparatus is held in proper alignment onthe track so that inl operationA it moves in substantially a straightline from one end to the other of the straight edge. The rear flange isheld in position by means of a rivet 12.

Pivotally mounted at one end to one end of the gauge member is a cuttercase 13. This cutter case is in the form of an arm pivoted at one end tothe gauge member and may swing up and down, due to the pivotalconnection between the two. 1n the adjacent ends of the gauge member andthe cutter case are holes 14: in which there is a tube 15. This tube inlength is substantially the same as the length of the hole through thegauge member and the cutter case when they are side by side at the pointwhere theholes are. Extending through the tube is a'bolt 16. which hason one end a hea-d and on the other end a nut. Between the head and oneend of the tube and the nut and the other end of the tube is a washer17. These washers do not bind the gauge member and the cutter case butfit snugly against the ends of the tube and close up to the gauge memberand the cutter case so that these parts may move easily, but nounnecessarv movement is permitted.

In order to hold the cutter case in elevated position, such as thatshown in Figure 5, and to raise the cutter case when the hand is removedfrom the engaging parts thereof, there is provided a` spring 18 which islooped in the center forming two arms, one arm engaging a flange 19 onthe cutter case, while the other arm engages a ledge 2() on the loweredge of the gauge member. This spring is shown in Figure 5, and as shownthere is just sufliciently strong to raise the cutter case in its mostelevated position free from the paper to be cut or trimmed.

Extending from one side of the cutter case is a hub member 21, which hasa horizontal hole 22 therein. In this hole is a bushing 23 composed ofbrass or some other suitable material. On one end of this bushing is aflange 24 which abuts a face of the cutter case, with the other endextending into the hole 22 but not reaching the other end thereof.Rotating or working within the bushing is a spindle 25, which has on oneend a shoulder 26 adapted to abut against the end of the bushing withinthe hole 22. On the end of the spindle remote from the shoulder is aboss 27. This boss is nothing more than a reduced part of the spindle toprovide a seat and a shoulder for holding the cutter blade 128 in place,which has a hole to receive the oss.

Extending longitudinally into the spindle from the boss end thereof is ahole 29 to receive a screw 30, which has a head to engage one face ofthe cutter blade to hold the cutter blade in position on the boss andagainst the shoulder formed by the boss on the spindle. The lspindle andscrew 30 each has a slot 31 therein to receive a screw driver so thatthe blade may be removed for replacement or for sharpening. The bushingis driven into the hole 22 so that it cannot rotate therein, Vandprovides ample bearing for the spindle or arbor 25. rThis structure isshown in Figure 7. Y

When. the spindle has on the reduced end thereof the cutter blade andhas within the hole 29 the screw 30 the parts are held in position sothat the blade will rotate without wobbling or sidewise movement.Extending through the upper' part of the hub, one side of the 'bushingand through the spindle is a hole 32. This hole may be used for oilingthe spindle, or it may be used for the insertion of a nail or vsomeother object to prevent the spindle rotating when vit is desired toremove the screw 30 so that the cutter may be taken off of the spindle.The bushing may also be held by means of a screw 33, as shown inFigure 1. i

In cutting or trimming wall paper, where paste has been used, the edgeof the cutter bladeis likely to become smeared with paste and colored,by the coloring matter in the paper. The paste causesthe edge of theblade to become rounded and the coloring matter may be transferred tothe cut edge of the paper, so that a streak is left on the paperedsurface. For cleaning the blade there is provided a scraper 34 attachedto the cutter case by means of a screw 35, as shown in Figure l. Inorder to adjust the scraping end oit this blade with relation to thesurface of the cutter blade there is an adjusting screw 36. This screwtits through the body of the cutter case and engages the scraper so thatits position in regard to the cutter blade may be adjusted. The scrapingend of the scraper is indicated by the numeral 37 and is at a rightangle to the body et the scraper, and has its edge formed to conform tothe surface ot the cutter blade and slightly extending beyond the edgeof the blade.

For the purpose of guiding the forward end of the cutter case as itmoves up and down in the operation ot the apparatus, there is provid-eda plate 38 adjacent the front guide 5. There is also located at thefront end of the cutter case, on the lower edge thereof, a lug 89 whichis to be engaged by a screw 40 located in the trent end of the gaugemember to limit the upward movement of the cutter case. rIhis screw andlug permit the front end ot the cutter case, under the influence of thespring 18, to rise to a position shown in Figure l. In this position thecutter blade is above the lower tace of vthe straight edge so that it isout ot contact with any paper or other object underneath the straightedge. By removing this screw the cutter case may be forced to theposition shown in Figure 5 through the action of the spring 18.

In order to limit the downward movement of the liront end ot the cuttercase there is a stop member 4l, which engages some part of the uppersurface of the iront end of the gauge member. Gn the top of the 'cuttercase are two seats 42, al thumb seat, and 43 a 'forenger seat. When theoperator is manipulating this apparatus the thumb of the right hand isplaced on seat 42 and the forefinger on seat 43. With his hand andfingers in this position the apparatus is pushed along the straight edgeand pressed down so that the rotating blade cuts or trims the paper.

TWhen it is desired to remove or elevate the cutting blade from thematerial trimmed or cut, the middle linger ot the operators hand isgripped beneath the hub so that the blade is raised to the positionshown in Figure 5, and at the same time the trimmer Ais flipped tostarting end ot the straight edge. While the spring- 18 under normalconditions would elevate the cutter case, yet it the blade should becomestuck the operators middle linger beneath the hub assists the spring andraises the cutter case so that the whole apparatus may be removed toanother place, or properly adjusted.

In order to facilitate the removal of the cutter blade there is providedin the gauge member opposite the screw 30 a hole 44. The relative.positions of the `hole 44 and the screw 30 are shown in Figure 3, whenthe apparatus is in non-cutting position. At this time the screw 30 maybe removed so that the blade may be taken ott of the spindle or it maybe operated to tighten the 'blade on the spindle.

The material used for making the different parts ot this apparatus issuch that durability, lightness and strength are elected. All partsexcept wearing parts may be made otlight material. rIhis apparatus in atinished condition is about tour inches long and weighs about sixounces. It is obvious, therefore, that it is easily operated and may becarried-about in a persons pocket when free or removed from the straightedge.

I desire to comprehend within my invention such modiications as may beclearly embraced within my claims and the scope oit my invention.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim is new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a paper trimmer, in combination with a guide, a traveling membersupported by said guide, a cutter case supported by said member formovement independent thereof nd having a hub with a hole therein, abushing `having a llange at one end in said hole, a spindle in saidbushing, said spindle having a shoulder on one end engaging the otherend oit the bushing, and a-cutter blade CQ i on the other end of saidspindle engaging Y the iange on the bushing.

2.' In a paper trimmer, in combination with a guide, a traveling membersupported by said guide, a cutter case support-ed' by said member formovement thereon, said case having a hub with a hole therein, a bushingin said hole, said bushing having a liange on one end engaging one sideof the case, a spindle in said bushing having a shoulder engaging oneend of said bushing, and a cutl ter on the other end ot said spindle andengagino said l'lange.

3. ln a paper trimmer, 1n combination with a guide, a gauge memberadapted to travel on said guide, a cutter case pivoted at one end to oneend of the gauge member, a cutter blade on said case, means to limit themovement of the cutter case about the pivot,

and a plate on the gauge member to hold the other end oi' the cuttercase against the gauge member.

4. In a paper trimmer, in combination with a guide, a gauge memberhaving a hole in one end and adapted to travel on said guide, a cuttercase having a hole in one end, a tube in said holes, a` bolt in saidtube, and a cutter blade carried by said cutter case.

5. In a paper trimmer, in combination with a. guide, a gauge memberadapted to travel on said guide, a cutter case mounted on said gaugemember for vertical movement, a roiso tating cutter blade on saidcritter base, and a scraper blade engaging said cutter blade to cleanit.

6. In a paper trimmer, in combination with a guide having a groove and atrack extending over the groove, a gauge member on said track with guidemeans engaging one side of said track and a spring-pressed flangeengaging that part of the track extending over the groove, and a cutterblade supported by the gauge member and adjacent the track.

7. In a paper trimmer, in combination with a guide having a groove and atrack extending' over the groove, a cutter member supported by saidtrack for movement thereon, and a spring-pressed lange engaging thetrack over the groove for holding the cutter member on the track.

8. In a paper trimmer, in combination with a track, a cutter membersupported on said track for movement thereon, a flange having holestherein engaging said track, screws extending through said holes intothe cutter member, and spring` means on the screws 'for holding theflange against the track.

9. In a paper trimmer, in combination With a track, a cutter membermounted on said track for movement thereon, a plurality of flangesengaging the track for holding the cutter member thereon, and springmeans tending to press one of said flanges against the track.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

CHARLES T. RID GELY.

